Soup for slimming

[whimsicalname]

I'm trying to shed a couple of stones of baby weight by the tried and tested 'eat less exercise more' technique. This pretty much boils down to not eating between meals and having a bowl of soup with not too many calories in for lunch. Problem is I'm lacking inspiration and am pretty much rotating carrot and coriander with broccoli and blue cheese (although it's got so little blue cheese in it's a bit sad)

So what are your best restrained soups?

I make all kinds of soups for lunch.... cauliflower, lentil and tomato, leek and potato, mushroom and barley, etc. Also losing weight at the moment but think it's important not to get into a rut where the food gets grim or I'll give up. So alternating the soup with other light meals such as salads, risottos, omelettes. Coming up on 9 weeks, a stone down and still enjoying it...

I use a website to work out the nutrition info for recipes. Makes it easier to calorie-count.

Cauliflower Soup
Tomato, Bacon & Lentil Soup
Chilli Bean Soup
Mushroom & Barley Soup

Thanks cogito. I agree about not getting in a rut - that's why I like soup. Psychologically, I think having a hot meal at lunchtime is more satisfying than salad, as well as being easier to prepare in advance etc.

Can heartily recommend a Delia recipe for slow cooked vegetable soup. Has no fat in it at all, but is really thick and filling. DP doesn't even realise it's healthy!

Can't remember the quantities, but will look them up when I get home. Other than that it's the easiest recipe ever: carrot, celeriac, leeks, onion and swede cut into chunks, covered with veg stock and a couple of bay leaves thrown in. Leave it in a low oven for about 3 hours (I usually put it in at the same time as cookign a casserole), then blitz.

Butternut squash cut into chunks, small onion, sprinkle of cumin and black pepper, chicken stock cube and cover with water. Simmer away and then blend through.